Everyone knows that Mommy germs are not the same as other people's germs. Ex. a dab of my spittle on a handkerchief is an excellent way of cleaning anything. Therefore, it is OK and acceptable if I wish to take a taste of something off my family's plates before they eat (with my used fork) or serve them something from a plate I have used. However, it does not work the other way around! They are filthy beasts and I would not eat off their plates and utensils after they have dug in.

Walk other people's dogs. Cook. Planning, cooking, cleaning up take me a long time! Online book club?

From what I have read, we have a limited supply of willpower. Perhaps restaurants are where you run out of willpower? Your signature says "The older I get, the less I care about what people think about me. Therefore the older I get, the more I enjoy life." If you believed this, you would be able to say 'no' when they wanted to go to a restaurant. If you were an alcoholic no one would fault you for not wanting to go to a bar. Saying 'no' to eating at a restaurant is something you are doing for your health. So, I guess you need to decide what is more important: pleasing others or doing what you think is best for you. Submitted by a 53 year old who will has gotten to the point of caring less about what people think of her.......

No one said YOU have to go to the restaurants. Send them on their merry way and go for a walk.

I don't even think thermograms are offered here--my doctor definitely didn't mention it to me. For me, the mammogram was not an unpleasant experience, and I am small breasted. The thing I question is, my tissue is really dense (interesting thought because, though small, they are floppy little things) so I had to have an ultrasound anyway. So, I have always wondered why not skip the mammogram and just go straight to ultrasound? I will be interested in seeing what others have to say about thermograms so thanks for posting this.

:bigear: OP--thanks for this thread! I was just googling felted wool (I envision myself making felted wool ornaments). Arctic Mama--what prompted my interest is a now felted wool sweater that is a result of a laundry mishap....

Smoked salmon fettuccine.

Christmas Eve (20 people--I do all the cooking) Baked ham with brown sugar rum glaze Meatballs in chili sauce Homemade crescent rolls Mushroom Bourguignon Roasted broccoli Roasted Brussel sprouts with peanut sauce Champagne carrots Holiday potato casserole with Gouda Wild rice pilaf Corn and wild rice pudding Apple pie Cranberry pie Pecan pie Pumpkin pie French silk chocolate pie I can't wait!!

Cashmere scarf. Chocolates.

Even though you said you have blood tests done on a regular basis, there still might be something that is off. Ask your doctor to review your results over several years to see if some level is going down but still "normal". It could be that something is low normal but that is not high enough for you.

Yep--call back here, too. Another mammogram, then an ultrasound and needle biopsy (was just a cyst), and then they put a chip in to mark the place and, after all that, they wanted to do ANOTHER mammogram. I said no. Most women I have talked to have had a call back.

Why don't you take her out for a "get to know you better" lunch. Then you can find out a bit more about her and what she likes.

My son's 1974 International truck had 17,000 miles on it. It was used at a fire station. He had to rebuild the engine and the floorboards were rusted through. He loves that thing...

Homemade jerky. Homemade noodles and pesto.

I think I'd be traumatized for life! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the link! Do your experiences have something to do with your username?

Preface: I stink at searches on this forum, so if this has been covered, please forgive me. For those of you who have had encounters with spirits/supernatural beings/ghosts please share your stories. I have a friend who is (was) a skeptic about psychics. His wife talked him into seeing one anyway. Not only was the psychic spot on about what was going on in this guy's life, but he told him something that made him a believer in the supernatural. The psychic told him that his mother was present and that she thanked him for what he put into her coffin at the funeral. He had put an envelope with some hair from his dog in there. His mom was very fond of that dog. This man had told NO ONE that he did it, not even his wife. He was the sole person who knew he had done such a thing. Another friend was in an auto accident--she was T-boned. She was the only one in the car and yet there was clear hand print on her arm looking like it had pulled her away from the impact. Please share your stories!

I have a gas range: 6 burner, griddle, two ovens. It is very easy to clean. Lots of people extol the virtues of baking in an electric oven. In my opinion, unless you are a professional chef you will not see a difference in quality of baked items in a gas vs. electric oven. I do prefer gas for the range top. I did not opt for wall ovens because of venting--I like to have my ovens under my vent hood. Plenty of things I cook generate a certain amount of smoke...

I will never forget the Thanksgiving my mother-in-law prepared sweet potatoes--or shall I say, the sweet potato... I swear she cooked only one large sweet potato for 19 people. Funny thing is, she ended up having leftovers because no one wanted to be guilty of taking it all and leaving none for others.

Frankly, I don't see a problem :001_smile:

Can't protect them from everything. I was pretty young when I got my hands on Lady Chatterley's Lover.

Just focusing on footwear--can she wear the boots (if she needs them for warmth) and take shoes to wear inside, stashing the boots in a backpack? Agree with no jeans for business casual.

Ahhh, I see--the one thing Cook's does that I do not is add some lemon juice. I bet the vinegar serves a similar purpose. The pepper, on the other hand...I will definitely have to try that! We used to eat apple pie with a hunk of cheddar cheese--bet it would be good with your pie!

In the freezer, depending on the alcohol.

How did you think to add the vinegar and pepper? Is it finely ground pepper? OP--do you want a traditional type pie (simply apples and no caramel or nuts) or a different sort? I basically use a variation of Cook's Illustrated. Their vodka crust is by far the quickest, most foolproof, and easiest. Filling: 8 cups thinly sliced apples (a mixture of apples, Granny Smith, Macintosh, Jonathan) 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons flour Mix together to get the juices flowing while you make the crust. Top with 2 Tablespoons butter, grated or cut into small pieces, after you pour the filling into the crust and before you top with the top crust. 425 for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 for 30-45 minutes or until the filling has bubbled for awhile and made a mess in the bottom of your oven and set off the smoke detector.